Typically, office communications are stored in two formats, voice messages and text messages. Recently, a third format, facsimile communication, has become prevalent in the business community. Generally, voice messages are stored and accessed via a dedicated voice mail system connected to a private branch exchange (PBX) or directly to the local telephone system. Text messages are usually stored and accessed on a computer system separate from the voice message system and are usually only accessible via another computer or terminal. Recent advances in text to speech (TTS) conversion systems have made it possible to access previously stored text messages via a telephone. However, these systems are usually dedicated to text message access and to retrieving other database information stored in text form within the computer system. As depicted in FIG. 1, each of the office communications systems must be separately accessed by a remote user.
Voice message systems, also known as voice mail systems, have become common modes of communication amongst business persons and consumers alike. Typically, a business organization will have a PBX direct a caller's telephone call to an appropriate extension within the organization. If the connection is not completed, the call is forwarded to a voice mail system wherein the caller may leave a voice message in a "mailbox" having an address corresponding to the extension called.
A commercially available system which provides the above basic messaging functions plus a number of optional functions such as automated dispatch, automated reception service, verbal bulletin boards, and paging is the VoiceMemo II.TM. voice processing system. VoiceMemo II.TM. is a trademark of Centigram Communications Corporation, San Jose, Calif. The stand alone VoiceMemo II.TM. is capable of storing up to 960 hours of messages in support of up to 10,000 users utilizing up to 120 telephone lines.
Design of voice mail systems, as in the VoiceMemo II.TM. system, incorporates one or more microprocessors to control call distribution, mailbox allocation, and user prompt upon playback. Typically, the voice messages are digitized and stored on one or more hard disk drives. A user subsequently may request the voice messages which the voice mail system has stored. Upon user request, the microprocessor will access the disk drive and have the digitized message or messages retrieved and converted into an analog signal which is then played to the user. The user may then command the system via the touchtone keypad of the telephone to delete the message, forward it to another mailbox, or save it.
Optionally, the VoiceMemo II.TM. system can be integrated with a FAX card for receiving and transmitting facsimile transmissions. The system, known as FaxMemo.TM., is capable of storing, retrieving and manipulating facsimile messages in much the same manner in which voice messages are handled. Using this arrangement, a user can call the VoiceMemo II.TM. system and be notified that a facsimile addressed to the user has been received. The user may optionally save the FAX, delete it, print it to a default printer located near the user's office, or have the FAX sent to any FAX transceiver (machine) which the user designates by entering the transceiver's telephone number.
In addition to voice mail systems and FAX machines, many offices have electronic mail systems. Typically, a central computer system serves as the host to the electronic mail system and the users interface with the computer via terminals or a network of personal computers (PCs). Each user has a mailbox within the system. The users of the central computer may send messages amongst themselves by typing a message and addressing it to the mailbox address of another user. Users outside of the network that are not directly connected to the central computer may connect to the central computer via a modem. Thus, outsiders using other electronic mail systems may send messages to any known address within an organization's electronic mail system via the modem.
However, until recently, the electronic mail systems could only be accessed by a PC or terminal via direct connection or a modem. To overcome this access hinderance, text to speech (TTS) translators are used to enable a remote user to use a telephone to contact the electronic mail system and have previously stored messages "read" to the user over the telephone. Using the touchtone keypad, the user may optionally forward the message to another electronic mail address, delete the message, or save it. These systems are known in the art as interactive voice response (IVR) systems.
A commercially available IVR system which provides the foregoing basic features is the Voice Gateway System (VGS).RTM. produced by Centigram Communications Corporation, San Jose, Calif. VGS is a registered trademark of the manufacturer. In addition to the standard features of a text to speech system, VGS enables the user to respond to messages by sending previously stored text passages to the sender of the message via the electronic mail system to acknowledge receipt of the message. Also, the IVR system can be used to select and access database information other than electronic mail, such as catalog and sales information. The user may enter data into the selected database via the touchtone telephone keypad. For instance, the data entry capability is useful for sales persons to enter order information from remote locations. In this form, information residing in the database is accessed for read out as well as modified (written to) by the user's touchtone keypad input.
An office having both an electronic mail system with a TTS translator, i.e., an IVR system, and a voice mail system forces the users to remember a number of separate commands and access codes for each system. In addition, separate phone calls must be placed or call transfer used to access each system. A cumbersome task to say the least.
It is therefore a primary objective of the present invention to provide a system and method of integrating voice mail systems and IVR systems such that a single call can be placed to access information stored in both systems.
Another objective is to enable a single instruction set to be used to retrieve and manipulate voice and text messages within a comprehensive voice mail/electronic mail system.